WAYNESFIELD — Waynesfield-Goshen seeks to stay on task, unbeaten and first in the Northwest Central Conference when they host league foe Ridgedale Friday night.
The Tigers (8-0, 5-0 NWCC) blanked Perry 47-0 in week eight to maintain sole possession of first place in the conference.
Meanwhile, the Rockets lost 56-6 to Upper Scioto Valley at home last Friday to drop to 2-6 and 1-4 in the NWCC.
The Tigers are a game ahead of USV and Hardin Northern, who are tied for second place in the NWCC standings at 4-1.
“We face another young team with a new coaching staff,” seventh-year W-G head coach Shane Wireman noted of the Rockets. “They have a nice athlete playing quarterback who can run and throw some.
“They are a heavy-spread team on offense, and play a mix of 4-4 and 5-3 on defense,” he continued.
Waynesfield has outscored its opposition 335-41 this season. The Tigers score 41.9 points per game and permit just 5.1 ppg through eight games. The defense has posted four shutouts. Ridgedale averages 15 ppg and allows 38 ppg.
“We have been fortunate enough to stay healthy for the most part,” Wireman said.
Ranked eighth in the state Div. VII poll, W-G fell from third to fifth in the Div. VII Region 26 computerized rankings, even though the Tigers are one of just two undefeated clubs in the 30-team region.
Second-rated Antwerp is the only other unbeaten left in region 26. Ridgedale is tied for 27th with North Baltimore in the Div. VII, Region 26 rankings. USV (6-2) is 12th in the region, followed by HN (5-3) in 13th.
The Tigers have already clinched a spot in the playoffs, one of six teams in region 26 to have done so.
HN hosts Ridgemont (4-4, 3-2 NWCC) Friday, and then is at W-G in week 10 for a showdown very likely to have league title implications.
USV hosts Elgin (4-4, 3-2 NWCC) Friday.
“We want to make sure we are continuing to improve in the areas where we need to in order to continue to win football games, and hopefully position ourselves to make some noise in the post-season,” Wireman summed up.
Waynesfield is 4-0 at home this season, while Ridgedale is 2-3 on the road.
W-G whipped the Rockets 40-6 last year and edged Ridgedale 20-16 in 2020. In 2019, W-G prevailed 60-19. The Tigers have beaten the Rockets for the last five years in a row.
Kickoff for the league game is Friday at 7 p.m. in Waynesfield.